Samuel l



S. L. RUBEN.

TOE CLIP FOR'VB-LOGIPBDES.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL L. RUDEN, OF NEV YORK, N. Y.

TOE-CLIP FOR VELOCIPEDES.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 557,025, dated. March 24, 1896.

Application filed August 28, 1895. Serial No. 560,801. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL L. RUBEN, of New York city, in the county and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Toe-Clip for Velocipedes, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide a superior toe-clip for the pedals of velocipedes. This end I attain through the medium of a U shaped plate pivotally mounted and adapted to have one arm engaged by the sole of the riders foot, whereby the remaining arm is drawn down upon the toe of the user.

The invention will be fully described hereinafter and nally embodied in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the iigures.

Figure lis a perspective View of a pedal having my improvements applied. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the invention, showing its relative position to the foot of a user. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the device, and Fig. 4 is a similar view of a modification.

The pedal l carried by the usual crank-arm 2 has a plate 3 riveted to its front side and from this plate an integral arm 4 projects, said arm extending outwardly and thence upwardly from the pedal. Pivotally connected to the arm 4 is a plate 5, which is of substantially the form of a compound curve and which is adapted to engage the upper side of the foot of the user, as shown in Fig. 2. Riveted to the plate 5 at the under side of the same (assuming its normal position to be shown in Fig. 3) is a second plate 6, the same being substantially U -shaped and being fixed to the plate 5 by means of one arm, the remaining arm extending downwardly (see Fig. 2) and thence inwardly, so that the sole of the users foot may rest on said remaining arm. The plates 5 and 6 are in function a single element and jointly form the U-shaped plate hereinbefore referred to,the function of which is to receive the toe of the users foot and to have the upper arm held on such foot by the engagement of the lower arm with the foot.

Fixed to the plate 5 is an eye 7 and fixed to the arm 4 is a similar eye 8, said eyes being connected by a retractile spiral spring 9. By means of these parts the plates 5 and 6 l are given a tendency to the position shown in Fig. l, and are moved to the position shown in Fig. 2 only when the force of the spring 9 55 is overcome.

The modification of my invention shown in Fig. 4 consists simply in the use of a torsional coil-spring lO in place of the retractile spring 9, and this use is effected by causing said 6o spring 10 to embrace the pintle of the hingejoint which connects the arm 4 and plate 5.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. In a toe-clip for velocipedes the combination of a supporting member and a U-shaped plate, the plate being pivotally mounted on the supporting member and capable of having the users foot directly engaged with one 7o arm, whereby the remaining arm is pressed down upon thev foot of the user, substantially as described.

2. In a toe-clip for velocipedes,the combination of a supporting member and a U-shaped 7 5 plate fulcrumed to said member at approximately the bend of the plate, the plate being capable of receiving the foot of the user and of causing one arm of the plate to press downward upon said foot under the influence of 8o the foot bearing upon the remaining arm, substantially as described.

3. In a toe-clip for velocipedes,the combination of a supporting member, aplate pivoted to said member and having a curve near the pivoted end, and a second plate, said second plate being approximately U -shaped and having one arm iixed to the first plate, the remaining arm being disposed so that the two plates may receive the foot of the user, sub- 9o stantially as described.

4. In a toe-clip for velocipedes,the combination with a pedal, of a plate fixed to the pedal, said plate having an arm, a plate hingedly connected to the arm and having a curve at its hinged end, a spring actuating the plate with relation to the arm on which it is hinged and a second plate the same being U-shaped and having one arm fixed to the hinged plate, the remaining arm being arranged so that 10o the hinged and U-shaped plates will be capable of receiving the foot of the user, substantially as described.

SAMUEL L. RUDEN.

Witnesses:

IsAAo B. OwENs, C. SEDGWICK. 

